resting equally upon the feet), lift the right leg and swing it from the hip-joint.

2d.

Standing upon the right foot, practise the same with the left leg.

3d. Standing in the first position, rise slowly upon the toes, then resume first position.

4th. Advance right foot and practise hingelike movement with left.

5th. Advance left foot and practise hinge-like movement with right.

BOWING.

The bow, which has taken the place of the deep courtesy, is made by an inclination of the body from the ankles, and signifies "I am at your service."

The courtesy-which is still used in our academies-is made by putting one foot behind, resting the weight upon it, and then bending the backward knee (the forward will bend also), at the same time relaxing the muscles of the upper part of the body, and bowing the head. In drawing up the form and returning to position, the movement should be very slow, as this kind of bow signifies reverence. Bowing, kneeling, and seating one's self with grace are accomplished by observing the law of poise, or "Opposition of Agents." The law consists in placing the acting levers in opposition, and thus realizing equilibrium. And as Delaumosne says most truly, “All that is in equilibrium is harmonized."

We should make our bow to the audience before, not while, uttering the title of our Reading or Recitation.

TO SEAT ONE'S SELF.

Standing in the first position before a seat, place one foot backward and courtesy into the seat. Carefully observe that the feet bear the weight of the body until it reaches the seat.

To rise, press upon the feet. The natural impulse is to assist one's self with the hands; this must be avoided.

BREATHING.

As voice is formed by the breath setting in vibration the lips of the glottis, it follows that the management of the breath is of the first importance.

As all the air entering the lungs and all the breath leaving them must pass through the larynx, inspiration and expiration must alternate.

In deep breathing the cavity within the chest is increased by the descent of the diaphragm, also by the expansion of the ribs.

In inspiration the abdomen slightly protrudes. In expiration the abdomen falls inward.

When the lungs are entirely filled they will be found to expand the back as well as the chest.

All impediments to free respiration are to be avoided. The throat, chest, and abdomen must be left free action.

When the lungs are kept well supplied with air vocal efforts are healthy and unfatiguing.

In reading and reciting, the pupil is cautioned against allowing the lungs to become exhausted. We most earnestly recommend a "silent pause" to replenish them—or rather, to allow the atmospheric pressure to do so.

The tendency to drop the voice at the end of each line in poetry is often the result of neglecting this "silent pause." In effective and expressive reading and recitation silence is indeed golden.

Respiration should be inaudible.

We have two channels for respiration, the nostrils and the mouth.

Audible respiration is caused by a contraction of these air passages.

It is a disputed point as to which of the channels for respiration should be preferred. We recommend both, if the organs be in a perfectly sound and healthy condition, and the atmosphere pure. Should the student be delicate, or the atmosphere impure, we advise inhaling through the nostrils-which have been called "nature's filter."

EXERCISES.

1st. Deep Breathing.-Place the hands upon the hips. Exhaust the lungs, then fill them very slowly and thoroughly, retain the breath a short time, and then as slowly emit it.

2d. Inflate the lungs, then empty them suddenly, giving the sound of the aspirate h.

THE VOICE.

The human voice is the most wonderful of all musical instruments, and the most satisfactorily expressive when "the soul attunes the instrument to the theme." The voice has three properties -Pitch, Force, and Quality; and it is to the cultivation of these three properties of the voice that the best efforts of the student should be directed.

Indeed, in a technical training of the voice, all the artifices of the Elocutionist are founded upon the three properties of the voice, Pitch, Force, and Quality. What the elder Garcia said of the singing voice-"Its beauty constitutes ninety-nine hundredths of the power of the singer"-is equally true of the speaking voice. For this reason we disapprove of giving to young students recitations requiring certain faulty qualities of the voice. The aim of the teacher of vocal culture should be to preserve and improve the natural beauty of the voice. L'Abbé Delaumosne says: "It is through the voice we please an audience. If we have the ear of an auditor, we easily win his mind and heart. The voice is a mysterious hand which touches, envelops, and caresses the heart."

PITCH.

Pitch relates to the elevation or depression of the voice.

For direction five degrees of Pitch are distin

guished: Very Low, Low, Middle, High, and Very High. Although but five degrees of pitch are given for direction in Elocution, the student will note that "the degrees range through the entire compass of the voice."

Middle Pitch is used in unimpassioned styles. High Pitch is employed to express exultation, joy, etc.

Very High Pitch is used to express the extremes of joy and grief, and is employed in calling.

Low Pitch expresses solemnity, awe, reverence, and sorrow.

Very Low Pitch expresses extreme awe, solemnity, reverence, dread, etc.

A harmony of pitch must be maintained between closely related parts of a sentence, such as subject and verb, verb and object, especially when they are separated by intervening clauses.

FORCE.

Force relates to the degree of energy with which a sound is given.

For direction in Elocution five degrees of Force are given: Weak, Subdued, Moderate, Energetic, and Vehement. The following recitation, "King Henry the Second at the Tomb of King Arthur," is an excellent exercise on Force. The first part is given with Moderate Force; Energetic Force is used in the fourth verse; Vehement in the fifth; while the concluding verses are given with Subdued and Weak, or Gentle, Force.